Street-traffic system.



IN VEN TOR E. E. SIRRINE. STREET TRAFFIC SYSTBM.

' APPLIOATIOKMLBD Arn.2s,1e1o. n 976,939, Patented Nov. 29, 19101 a sHBTs-sHBnT 1.

1 l III I UUIIIII Ill E. E. SIRRINE. STREET TRAFFIC SYSTEM. APPLIUATION FILED APB.. 28, 1910.

Patented Nov.29,191o.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

` INVENToR l' ATTQRNEY,

5T El@ /f E. E.' SIRRINE.

, STREET TRAFFIC SYSTEM. APPLIOATIGN FILED APB. 28, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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n WITNESSES: IN VEN TUR A TTORNE Y 1` hieen.

ERNEST SIRRINE, or ourense, ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 29, 1910.L

Application led April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,255.`

' To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. SIRRINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi nois, have invented a certain new and .useful Improvement in Street-Trame Systems, of which the following is a full', clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a system for controlling street tra-inc and has a number'of objects and advantages in view.

In accordance with one embodiment of my invention, I locate changeable sign devices substantially at the intersections ofthe axes of thestreets, each sign device, whenbrought to one position or display conditioinindieating that trac may proceed along one line of travel and may not proceed along a transverse line of travel, and when brought to an alternative position or display condition indicating that traliic along the first line'of travel is to cease for the time being .and is to be resumed 'alongthe transverse line of travel. By this feature of my invention, the number of crossing policemen may at least be reduced', while at the same time the direction signs constitute division ppsts to separate oppositely'moving streams of traffic in each line of travel.

In accordance with another feature of m.

y invention, I employ means whereby the cclosed and tratic ma well be conducted without mate.

rial bun'c ing or crowdin at the street crossings and without the aldof several po.n licemen at each crossing who are now em ployed in congested districts ofi large cities to perform the functions that are to be performed by the system of umy inventIoll,y

though it may be desired to retain onel policeman at each crossing whose duty it will.l

be to see that the instructions automatically conveyed by thesign devices are obeyedby the drivers of horses and vehicles.

' If the sign devices are located; atthem4 tei-sections of the' axes of the streets,` wh1ch locations I prefer, then the single policeman are'at the same time respectivelyvery active.

retained Iat each crossing may stand besidethe 'sign there located, better to erform his duties. By means of the secon feature of my invention, great expense to civic authori- A ties may be saved, and a more orderly control of the trailic may be eected. A

I will explain my invention morer fully by reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, and in which- Figure I is a diagrammatic view of the system as arranged 1n accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a view in one elevation of a sign device which may be used invmy system, Fig. 3 is a view of the structure taken at right angles to the direction in which Fig. 2 was taken, lEig.` i is a sectional eleva-- tion of the upper portion of the structure as it is preferably constructed, 'Fig 5 is a view in vcross section of one of the sign arms, and

Fig. 6 is a view in longitudinal section Aof one end of a sign arm. v

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different views.

\ Referring first more particularly to Fig. 1,

I haveL there shown thepreferred traic con-y trolling system of my invention. I have indicateda plurality of substantiall parallel streets l that have lines of travel t at are of course parallel, each streetof course afford-` ing means for permitting opposite streamsV of traffic thereupon.- I have also indicated another grou of substantially parallel streets 2 that. ave the described characteristics of streets 1, but which are transverse to the streets 1. In other words one group streets may constitute cross-town streets; I

have only shown a few streets in each group,

but it isto be understood that the system may embrace any selected plurality of streets in each of the two groups'of mtersecting streets, and that the system need only in-` clude the streets .in the more central ortions vof cities or-towns where the trafhc 1s- Sign devices are preferabl located at the intersections "of the axes o ythe streets, j

these sign devices being of such a nature ,that they may have tvvo alternative display lconditions each. Each sign device when having one display condition lindicates that .the traiiie in one is open, and when` at that time closed. The sign devices that are employed for the purpose of' my invention may be of any well known or suitable construction, and while they are preferably adapted Ato indicate Jositively the opening of the streets to tra c and the closure of streets to t-raiiic by the presentation of sign deviceseach positively indicating one or the other of these two conditions o'f the streets, yet I do. not wish to be limited to 1'5 the number of positive signals displayed at each street intersection, as one of the signalsr may be presented by the mere appearance of a sign element. and the othersignal by the withdrawal of such lelement from View,

sign devices of this latter character being well known.

The sign devices 3l are preferably adapted to perform the functions specified by presenting posit-ive*signals'k that may be viewed from all streets in thesystem, and in the diagram of Fig. 1 the heavy short lines may yindicate either the closed or open condition as predetermined for sake of illustration, and for thesake of the present illustration may indicate the open condition of the streets transversely of which saidlines extend. The companion light li'nes included y within the illustration of the sign devices 3 l in Fig. 1 indicate closed conditions of the streets across which such lines extend.

These light and heavy lines may be indicative of wings or arms that are rotatable in horizontal planes about verticalaxes that are located at the intersections of said arms.

40 Motor devices, preferably in the form of electric motors; are located at the street intersections, there being one motor 4 at each street crossing. These motors preferably are operated by means of power furnished from a central source, and in the case of electric motors the power may be furnished 'from a dynamo 5 supplying current to thel conductors 6 in bridge of which the motors 4 are disposed. The motors are constantly operating, in the preferred form of the invention, and serve jointly to effect the collective operation of the sign devices 3 in proper time relation. The time relation in which/,the sign vdevices are preferably operated is preferably such that all parallel streets are opened to traiiic simultaneously or are closed to traiiic simultaneously, but I do not wish to be limited to this particular way of practicing my invention. As theinvention is illustrated in Fig. 1, the periods in which the cross arms of theisign devices v are to remain-1n their set positions may be so timed 'with regard to the proper speed ofthe trailc that all parallel streets may readilybe opened simultaneously to traffic and may all be simultaneously closed to traffic.

While I have illustrated sign devices of the character described in connection with Fig. 1,` I prefer to employ the structures -actually illustrated in the remaining figures of the drawing. Referring now more particularly to the construction shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, I prefer to employ two display arms 7 and S which are rotatable about fixed horizontal axes instead of about a fixed vertical axis, as in the case of the equipment shown in Fig. 1. Each of the arms is centrallymounted upon a post 9 that is located in the preferred portion of the street intersection to be 'equipped therewith. Each arm has two alternative positions, in one of which one signal is conveyed and in the other of which the other signal is conveyed. Thus each arm is adapted in one of its alternative positions to display the word Proceed and in the-other of its alternative positions to display the word Stop. Fig. 4 illustrates a sign arm in a mid position between its two alternative positions, and shows the double sign structure of one of the centrally mounted arms, both arms being 3 alike in these respects, though one is mounted above the other. Each of the arms is provided with a crank pin 10 that is inclosed by the free end of a motor reciprocated arln 11. The crank pin 10 connected with the ment by a cam slot 12 located in a fixed ex- `lower display arm 8 is .guided in its move,

tension of the arm supporting post. The @00 crank pin 10 connected with the upper arm is located sufficiently to one side of the vertical plane including the axis of rotation of the upper arm as'to insure the rotation of the upper arm about its axis in a manner to bring the arm to each of its alternative positions.

The, motor 4 belonging to each sign post operates a cam 13 through the intermediation of gearing diagralmnatically shown at 14. vThe cam 13 is driven at a constant speed and at a rate to suit the estimated proper speed of street tratlic, and is of such a nature as to operate the arms 11 at proper intervals, this operation of these arms being simultaneous as they are linked at 16. Each time the arms 11 are operated both arms 7 and 8 arerotated about their fixed horizontal axes, whereby one arm displays one signal and the other arm displays an' opposite signal each time the arms are rotated. I have hitherto explained, thesignals displayed across `parallel streets are referably caused to read) alike-and are simultaneously changed, though I do Anot wish to be limited to this'arrangement.

The sign devices as illustrated in Figs. 2 i

to 6 inclusive have their arms hollow and composed in part of glass panels bearing the sign letters, electric'lamps 17 being located lwithin the hollows of the arms to illuminate the signs at night.

v While I have herein shown and particularly described preferred embodiments of various features of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to precise details of construction and arrangement herein shown and s eciieally described, as changesmay readiy be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. A street traffic system including sign devices located substantially at the intersections of the axes of a group of streets having one general direction and of a group ofstreets crossing thefirst, said sign devices being operable to have alternate display conditions alternately to indicate that the streets on which they are located are closed to traffic and are open to traiiic, and means Whereby said sign devices at the street .intersections are substantially simultaneously operated, said sign devices being so relatively arranged that, as a consequence of their substantially simultaneous operation, they present signs` of similar import substantially simultaneously to the. streets of each group.

2. A street traffic system including sign devices located substantially at the intersections of the axes of a group of streets having one general direction and of a group of streets crossing the irst,said sign devices being operable to have alternate display conditions alternately toindi'cate that the streets on which they are located are closed to traffic and are open to traic, and means wherebysaid sign devices are operated at prede termined intervals. v p

3. A street traic system including sign devices located at the intersections of a. group of streets havin one general diree tion and of a group o streets crossing the.

irst, said sign devices being operable to have alternate display conditions alternately to indicate that the streets on which they are located are closed to traie and are open fto.

traffic, and means whereby said sign devices atthe street intersections are substantially simultaneously operated, said sign devices being so relatively arranged that, as a consequence of their substantially simultaneous operation, they present signs of similar import substantially simultaneously to the streets of each group.

4, A street trafic -system including sign devices located at the intersections of a group of streets having one general direction and of a roup of streets crossing the first, said sign evices being operable to have alternate display.' conditions alternately to indicate that the streets on which they are locatedare closed to traffic and are open to traffic, and means whereby said' sign devices are operated at predetermined intervals.

5. A street traffic system including sign 'devices located upon the streets of two in- .tersect-ing groups of streets, said sign devices bein operable to have alternate display conditions to indicate that the streets on which they are located are closed'to traffic aand are open t9 traffic, and means whereby said sign devices are substantially simultaneously operated, said sign devices being so relativelyarranged that, as a consequence of their substantially simultaneous operation, they present signs of similar import to the streets of the same eneral direct-ion substantially simultaneous y.

6.A street traffic system including sign devices located upon the streets of two intersecting groups of. streets, said sign devices being operable to have alternate displayconditions to indicate that the streets on which they are located are closed to traflic and are open to\traiie, and means whereby said sign devices are operated at prede-` termined intervals.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this eighteenth day of April, A. D.,

' G. L. CRAGG,

R. E. ATHERTON. 

